March 2025 – Written for Ability Beyond Borders (www.abilitybeyondborders.org)

As we all know, authoritarianism and armed conflict are both factors that can have profound implications on human rights and quality of life. What is important to remember, however, is that both of these affect disabled and neurodivergent individuals (such as those with diagnoses such as Autism) in unique ways.

Living as a neurodivergent person in a repressive environment is an extremely politically-charged mode of being. Authoritarian regimes may view neurodiversity as a “threat” to conformity, often taking steps to stifle disability rights and advocacy movements. Repression, shame, neglect and control are among the main “ingredients” to authoritarian countries’ maltreatment of disabled people.

Examples

One of the most egregious examples of this is the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (North Korea)’s repression of disabled people’s self-advocacy through stringent restrictions on freedom of assembly, as well as restrictions on journalism and artistic expression that criticises the state’s idealistic vision of human rights in the country. Conservative cultural and social norms also play a major role in the repression experienced by disabled people in countries such as North Korea. Autistic people, whose way of thinking may cause them to display behaviours that can be seen as non-conforming or challenging, might encounter trouble in regimes that enforce homogeneity over diversity. As a result, the very act of being and acting as who you are is a political act of resistance.

Alongside North Korea, Iran is another example of a country where disabled civil society and self-advocacy is stifled due to conservative social norms and poor representation in the media. In a study, Iranian respondents pointed out that much of the population still remains unaware of the culture of disabled people and how to treat disabled people. It was also pointed out that there is a major need for the Iranian government to spend more time and money on representing disabled people to improve awareness, and that the lack of sufficient attention toward disability is a major contributing factor to problematic views of disabled people in society (Soltani et al., 2017, p.5)

Living in a highly conservative environment may also exacerbate feelings of shame. For example, al-Jadid (2013) emphasises that cultural issues leading to people being ashamed of being disabled (or having a disabled relative) are a very significant factor that complicates conducting research on disability in Saudi Arabia. This is partly based on the notion that being disabled “includes hopelessness, continuing dependence, being home-bound, low quality of life, and deficiency of productivity”. Disabled people may be shunned from the social scene and “even relatives can hardly see the disabled people”. al-Jadid also provides the example of disabled girls being hidden away in their homes to prevent their siblings encountering problems finding a spouse (al-Jadid, 2013, p. 455).

Neurodivergent people are more likely to experience issues with their mental health. With this in mind, it is also important to remember that, in authoritarian settings, psychiatry may be weaponised to regulate how people think, behave and express themselves.

Neurodiversity in Conflict Zones

It is also important to remember that, alongside authoritarianism, armed conflict is another area in which neurodivergent people encounter issues separate to neurotypical and non-disabled people. Additionally, it should be taken into account that conflict and authoritarianism often appear together. For example, the Russo-Ukrainian conflict caused by Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022 has plunged millions of Ukrainians into physical danger, displacement and psychological trauma. As well as seeing firsthand the violence and destruction brought by the war, Ukrainian autistic people have had their routines, support networks (social or therapeutic) and interests disrupted. They are also having to endure unexpected travel (likely to be uniquely distressing for Autistic people who thrive with predictability and routine), crowded bomb shelters and the overstimulating sound of the bombing (Autism Europe, n.d.). In an article written for The Transmitter, Chrystina Dolyniuk explores how, throughout the last decade, Ukraine has made great strides in advancing rights for autistic people, many of which may be attributable to Ukraine’s recently-bolstered ties to the western world. It could be argued this is an example of “opening up” to other countries benefits the neurodivergent and disabled community. Unfortunately, however, she writes that this progress was in many ways stopped in its tracks by the 2022 invasion. Immediate concerns for the welfare of neurodivergent people in the war include whether or not it is known who will take on the responsibility of caring for vulnerable people if their carers are injured or killed, as well as the experiences of autistic adults and children who have managed to escape the war but are misunderstood by those receiving them (Dolyniuk, 2022).

Afghanistan is another example of a country embroiled in long-term conflict, severely affecting the development of the country and its infrastructure. Afghanistan has been in an almost-continuous state of widespread armed conflict since the late 1970s (Bloch, 2021), but the country’s more socially-conservative views set it apart from Ukraine. The ongoing conflict in the country has led to the destruction of infrastructure such as healthcare facilities, as well as the disruption of services that may be useful to neurodivergent people and those with intellectual disabilities. Like the invasion of Ukraine, the Afghan conflict has also led to a massive displacement issue. Following their capture of Kabul a few years ago in 2021, the Taliban have established a government, giving way to an even more socially-conservative environment in which education and freedom of expression are severely curtailed, which presents a whole array of challenges in the self-advocacy of the country’s disabled and neurodivergent population. Writing on Autism in the country, Amin and Nasrat state that “Children with ASD in Afghanistan are among the most underserved globally, lacking any programs or institutions for identification, treatment, care, and support” (Amin & Nasrat, 2024).

The example of Syria is also very noteworthy. With the outbreak of its civil war in March 2011, Syria has become known as one of the most war-torn nations in the world. Alongside this, Syrian society is generally very socially conservative, and awareness of neurodiversity is very low. Speaking about his autistic child, one man said, “What is the crime of children like mine to be forgotten and neglected like this?” and “Why should they be one of this war’s forgotten victims?”. Additionally, in conflict zones such as Syria, it is important to remember that family members (and potentially members of the wider community) may need to rely on their own personal resources to support the neurodivergent and disabled communities instead of the state taking this role (Middle East Eye, 2019). It is also worth noting that, in the case of Syria, many neurodivergent people will be having an especially challenging experience at the moment due to the transition to a new form of government following the overthrow of the previous regime (in this case, that of Bashar al-Assad) in December 2024. Precisely what the state in which they live will look like in a few years’ time is unknowable to them, which will present many challenges, some being unique to the neurodivergent community.

Yemen is another example of a country facing significant hardship, following the outbreak of a multilateral civil war in late 2014 (Center for Preventive Action, 2025). As another highly conservative country, various aspects of Yemeni society can already make it a challenging place for neurodiversity and disability rights advocacy, even without the conflict. For example, Emtenan, an Autistic woman in her 20s, was raised by a farmer who “thought she was only being a silly child” and said he “didn’t know what the condition was, and neither did anyone we knew”. Autistic women like Emtenan face many challenges in a country that was ranked among the lowest in the world for its gender equality issues. Afrah Nasser of Human Rights Watch said that Yemen’s society views women as “objects that must concealed and hidden”, meaning that the “plights of autistic women are multiple that of a man”. Being interviewed for CNN, Emtenan’s father also requested for the two of them to be identified only by their forename due to the stigma associated with Autism in the country, although he says he does his best to look after his daughter and makes sure she is surrounded by family and friends who treat her with respect. Emtenan’s father Mothafar said that, after the war broke out, things got significantly worse and the situation meant that he became less and less capable of providing her with the care she needed. Emtenan’s frame of mind also changed significantly, and she struggled with sensory input such as hearing bombs outside.

Adel-al-Yazidi, the father of another autistic girl, said that “if she was a boy, it wouldn’t have been an issue” and “her behaviour has brought us scandal and shame” (CNN, n.d.). These are both examples of the extremely important intersection of gender and disability.

Conclusion

Conflict and authoritarianism pose unique challenges to the neurodivergent and disabled community. Repression, shame, neglect and control are also among the main “ingredients” to authoritarian states’ oppression of disabled people and these factors all work together to create a hostile environment. Ukraine (in the context of the Russo-Ukrainian conflict), Afghanistan, Syria and Yemen are all examples of environments in which conflict severely affects the day-to-day lives of neurodivergent people who may be displaced and lacking in access to important services and support networks, as well as having their self-advocacy stifled by the influence of authoritarianism. The social conservatism of countries such as Saudi Arabia, Afghanistan, Syria and Yemen (and even extreme, pervasive censorship such as in North Korea) can also pose significant challenges in self-advocacy in authoritarian settings. When conducting research about disability rights in any given country, it is extremely important to consider how conflict and authoritarianism interact to reduce disabled people’s quality of life, hinder their participation in society and suppress their self-advocacy.

References

Advances in Cognitive Sciences (2024) ‘The impact of visual exercises on motor abilities of children with autism spectrum disorder in Kabul, Afghanistan’, Advances in Cognitive Sciences, 26(1), pp. 63–75. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.30514/icss.26.1.63. Available at: http://icssjournal.ir/article-1-1659-en.html.

Al-Jadid, M.S. (2013) ‘Disability in Saudi Arabia’, Saudi Medical Journal, 34(5), pp. 453–460.

Alqaoud, H. (no date) Yemen was already a hard place to raise an autistic daughter. then war started, CNN. Available at: https://edition.cnn.com/interactive/asequals/autism-patriarchy-war-yemen-as-equals-intl-cmd/ (Accessed: 27 March 2025).

Amin, F. and Nasrat, S.B. (2024) ‘The impact of visual exercises on motor abilities of children with autism spectrum disorder in Kabul, Afghanistan’.

Autism Europe (no date) Support for autistic people in Ukraine. Available at: https://www.autismeurope.org/what-we-do/areas-of-action/support-for-autistic-people-in-ukraine/ (Accessed: 27 March 2025).

Bloch, H. (2021) A Look At Afghanistan’s 40 Years Of Crisis — From The Soviet War To Taliban Recapture, NPR. Available at: https://www.npr.org/2021/08/19/1028472005/afghanistan-conflict-timeline (Accessed: 27 March 2025).

Conflict in Yemen and the Red Sea | Global Conflict Tracker (2025) Council on Foreign Relations. Available at: https://www.cfr.org/global-conflict-tracker/conflict/war-yemen (Accessed: 27 March 2025).

Dolyniuk, C. (2022) My Hope for Ukrainians With Autism, The Transmitter: Neuroscience News and Perspectives. Available at: https://www.thetransmitter.org/spectrum/my-hope-for-ukrainians-with-autism/ (Accessed: 27 March 2025).

Soltani, S. et al. (2017) ‘Cultural Barriers in Access to Healthcare Services for People With Disability in Iran: a Qualitative Study’, Medical Journal of the Islamic Republic of Iran, 31(1), pp. 293–299. doi: https://doi.org/10.14196/mjiri.31.51.